Why did the price for my medication change?

July 22, 2019 19:24

Updated

Our mission at GoodRx is to stop Americans from paying too much at the pharmacy for their prescriptions, and we work hard every day to help you save as much as possible. If the price of your prescription recently increased, we sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

GoodRx prices are based on pharmacy cash prices which fluctuate frequently—daily, weekly or monthly. We update our prices often, and you can count on the prices we list to be as accurate as possible. The good news is that just as prices can increase, they can also decrease.

Our dedicated GoodRx staffers track down pharmacy prices daily, posting the best available price for each prescription and pharmacy on our website and mobile app. While we are able to provide prices for comparison, we do not have control over the prices.

Prices can increase for a number of reasons.

Higher cost to the manufacturer is one of the most common causes of a price increase, and you will see the difference passed on to you at the pharmacy.

Shortages can affect prices. If a popular medication isn’t widely available, the price may spike (sometimes temporarily, sometimes not). Shortages can be due to manufacturing issues, higher demand than expected or a shortage of the active ingredient, among other causes.

GoodRx finds prices from many different sources to provide Americans with the best savings. Occasionally, prices from these sources experience rate changes.

Unfortunately, there is no regulation requiring manufacturers, distributors or pharmacies to disclose the reason for their pricing, and there may not always be a clear-cut answer as to why a certain medication’s price has increased.

What can I do?

We never want there to be any surprises when you pick up your prescription, so we always recommend checking GoodRx every time you fill (or refill) a prescription. To make sure you still get the lowest price available, simply check prices on GoodRx and print out a new coupon the next time you fill your prescription. If you have our mobile app, just ask your pharmacist to enter the new coupon information you find on the app.

If shopping around for the best price doesn't work for you, GoodRx also has a new program called GoodRx Gold. Because GoodRx Gold is a membership-based program, prices with GoodRx Gold are more consistent and do not update as frequently. See if GoodRx Gold is right for you and your family here.

I found a better price at another pharmacy. How do I switch pharmacies?

If you find that a new pharmacy has a lower price, it’s easy to transfer your prescription. Simply call your new pharmacy and ask them to transfer your prescription for you. Remember to print a new coupon if it’s a discount price.

If you are transferring a prescription to a CVS Pharmacy or Target (CVS), you can request a transfer directly from the GoodRx website. Learn how by clicking here.